After two months of breathless speculation on the whereabouts of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, CNN offered some polling data that might show just how much its hyped coverage resonated with the public.

The poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of Americans believe the plane is “in the Indian Ocean in the general area where the search is now taking place,” while 46 percent believe it is “located somewhere else far from the area where the search is taking place.”

“People are saying to me, why aren’t you talking about the possibility — and I’m just putting it out there — that something odd happened to this plane, something beyond our understanding?” Lemon posited on-air in March.

CNN’s pollsters put it out there, too. According to the survey, nine percent of Americans believe it was likely that “[s]pace aliens, time travelers or beings from another dimension” played a part in the plane’s disappearance.

To be honest, you could probably find 9% of Americans to answer yes to almost any question, and I have no doubt that some of the people who answered yes here probably did so to mess with the pollster, I know I would. The real issue, though, is why CNN though it was a good idea to (1) poll people who have no idea of the actual facts of the disappearance for their theories on what happened and (2) to ask them such an exceedingly silly question.

About Doug MataconisDoug holds a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May, 2010 and also writes at Below The Beltway.
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The plane crashed in the ocean. The ocean is big. Like, REALLY big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the pharmacy, but that’s just peanuts to the ocean.

The poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of Americans believe the plane is “in the Indian Ocean in the general area where the search is now taking place,” while 46 percent believe it is “located somewhere else far from the area where the search is taking place.”

Why do I have the uneasy feeling that Michele Bachmann knows exactly where the plane is.

There are areas of the various oceans where there are verifiable abnormal magnetic fields, weather anomalies, and other unexplained forces. There are was a squadron of 6 Navy planes that disappeared near Florida. These forces have been responsible for the disappearance of countless planes and ships without a trace. I don’t know why people want to discount that possibility.

@Tyrell: I suggest you read Martin Gardner’s “Fads and Fallacies”–particularly the debunking of the Bermuda Triangle thingie. ( Half of the supposed disappearances credited to the Bermuda Triangle occurred outside the Triangle, by the way.)

See information about the infamous Hangar 18 – so secretive a US senator was not allowed in to look around. There are credible reports from pilots and boaters concerning instruments suddenly going haywire, mysterious clouds, and strange fogs. All of this has perfectly sound scientific explanations, it is that we have not discovered it yet. For accounts of how the government can behave in these kind of situations, see information about the famous Kecksberg, PA landing of an unknown craft. People were pushed around, held in custody with no warrants or explanation, cameras and films were seized, threats were made, property was taken over, and many other illegal, questionable acts by unidentified people in secret uniforms. Some sort of craft was covered and hauled away on a military truck. It was not a meteorite. That much we do know. Why does the government not want people to know information? When something like this happens the last people you would call in would be the federal government.

@Franklin: I think it was Senator Goldwater, but General LeMay said “H_ _ _ no!” and would not let him step foot in there.
Source – Discover Channel documentary that ran a few years ago about the “Hangar 18” activities and projects.

Actually, there is a big anomaly in the earth’s magnetic field called the South Atlantic Anomaly which is an issue for satellites and the space program, but it is:
1. 200km above the surface and thus would not affect airplanes
2. Is nowhere near where flight MH370 was anyways